Lost Cause Diaries 8: Tricia Leaves School
by HPDrummerman
Summary: Peppermint Patty, now going by Tricia, decides that she had enough of school and wants to join the work force. Marcie delivers an ultimatum to Tricia: stay in school, or their friendship is done.
1. Chapter 1

Lost Cause Diaries #8: Tricia Leaves School

**CHAPTER 1: "THE MORE I LEARN, THE DUMBER I BECOME"**

_**Friday, 7:15 AM**_

Tricia Reichardt was never the smartest girl in school. She was anything but. But as the years progressed, she tried harder than she did as a kid, but was still getting nowhere in her academics. Her attention span was all over the place. She would start studying but was easily distracted by the littlest, mundane thing. It also didn't help that her father still worked late nights. So she figured that if she got a job, she could help with the house funds so her father didn't work so much. But she also saw it as a way out of school, as she wasn't getting anywhere in her grades to begin with. So not too long after she turned 16, Tricia was contemplating quitting school.

So that fateful day, Marcie was trying to talk Tricia out of quitting school. Charlie Brown and Linus were watching from a distance. She had told them about it, but left it up to her to decide and supported her decision no matter what. Marcie was more upset about it and tried to reason with her.

"You're making a big mistake, sir!" argued Marcie.

"Well look at me, Marcie!" Tricia exclaimed. "I'm not getting any smarter. I'm getting dumber. The teachers don't want to help me. One of them even said I was beyond help! I am doomed to be stupid! So why should I stay in school anyway. I'm 16 now, and legally, I can quit school if I want to. It's different from when we were kids and stayed on Snoopy's doghouse thinking it was Chuck's guest cottage. Now I can leave without repercussions!"

"But what do you gain from leaving school?" Marcie reasoned. "Absolutely NOTHING! That's what!"

"I'm not gaining anything from staying, either. My dad still works late, he's just breaking even every week. I just got hired at that fast food joint, I figured I'd help bring in money to our household. You see? I'm not just quitting school to do nothing. I'm joining the workforce to help my dad. Besides that, if I stay, by the time I graduate, I'll be old enough to buy beer!"

"Okay, Patricia," said Marcie, now getting serious. "It's your choice. But know this. If you choose to quit school. You can consider our friendship over. Because I tried to help, but you wouldn't study. I tried to get you to read over the summer, but you played baseball instead. If you quit school, all of my efforts to help you would have been in vain. All I ask is that you not do it right away. Think it over until the end of the day. THEN make your decision. But I advise you to choose wisely." And Marcie left to go to class. Tricia went to hers as well. Charlie Brown and Linus, who watched but remained silent, followed suit.

Charlie Brown shared the first period with Marcie. He figured he'd try to talk to her before class started and see how she was feeling.

"I say you and Tricia arguing about her quitting school," he began with Marcie. "Just wondering if you were all right."

"Not really, Charles," said an upset Marcie. "Tricia's making a huge mistake. For as long as I can remember, I tried to get her to study, but she just kept slacking off! If she quits, all of that would have been for nothing!"

"I get it, I really do," assured Charlie Brown. "Tricia's never had the best work ethic when it came to school work. She was better on the baseball field than in the classroom."

"If she put all of that hard work into her studies like she did playing sports, she would do all right," Marcie griped. "I even said as much. Now I just think she stopped caring. She doesn't give a damn about school anymore." And it was time for class to begin. Charlie Brown focused on his work, but the two girls were not far from his mind. They have been best friends for a long time. And they both helped each other out, even though things wouldn't always work out right. But for their friendship to end in that fashion, would be devastating.

**NEXT CHAPTER: PROS AND CONS**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: LINUS AND TRICIA TALK**

_**11:30 AM**_

Linus and Tricia had History together. Linus wanted to have the same conversation with her as Charlie Brown had with Marcie. Just to get her thoughts on the situation. Tricia could always talk to Linus without blowing up or even not paying attention like she would Charlie Brown or Marcie. He was one of the rare ones she actually listened to.

"What do you think about what Marcie said, Linus?" asked Tricia.

"Well, I just think she's concerned about you and wants you to succeed," Linus responded. "Remember when she tried to pull you off of Snoopy's doghouse just to get you to go to school when you first had thoughts of quitting when we were kids? Right there should have told you how serious she was about staying in school then. I think the who 'ending the friendship' thing, shocking as it was, was the response of a girl who had tried hard to get her friend to study and stay on track, only for that friend to throw it all away."

"Do you think I'm being stupid for wanting to quit school, Linus?" Tricia wondered.

"That's not my call, Tricia," said Linus. "I will support you, no matter your decision, to stay or leave. I will still be your friend, as will Charlie Brown,, and many of the other kids. I think Marcie is just frustrated because she tried to help you the most out of everybody."

"You are a good friend, Linus," said Tricia with a smile. She kissed Linus on the cheek. "Thank you for being understanding. I wish Marcie could be like that."

"Just give her some space for now," suggested Linus. "And she was right about not making your decision right there and then. Just think about it, weigh your options, and then decide if you want to stay or not."

"Are you two studying?" asked the teacher, startling the two teens.

"Yes, sir," said Linus, blushing with embarrassment.

"Right away, sir," added Tricia.

Tricia and Marcie had lunch together, but rather than sit next to each other like they usually did, they sat at separate tables. Charlie Brown and Linus also had the same lunch period. They noticed the split between the two friends.

"This is intense, Linus," said Charlie Brown. "They never are apart like this."

"I know, Charlie Brown," agreed Linus. "But I think it's best that they work it out between them."

"And I agree," said Charlie Brown. "I just can't believe that their friendship could end because of Tricia possibly quitting school."

"Yeah, but it's her call to make," Linus replied. And the two boys ate their lunch and continued to observe the two girls as they ate theirs separately. Both Charlie Brown and Linus hoped that things would work out between the two of them. None of their fights had been this bad before, but the fact that Tricia could leave school may tear them apart.

_**3:00 PM**_

Tricia walked into her guidance counselor's office to talk. Charlie Brown, Linus, and Marcie watched as she went in. They all went home because school was out at that time. Whatever Tricia's decision would be would have to wait until later. Marcie hoped that she would stay in school. The boys hoped that whatever decision She made she was ready to deal with whatever consequences that may come her way. But they all hoped for the best, but also expected not necessarily the worst, but not as good.

**NEXT CHAPTER: NOW WHAT?**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: TRICIA'S DECISION**

_**Monday, 7:15 AM**_

All weekend long no one heard from Tricia or what her decision was as far as staying in school was. Marcie was waiting for her friend to come in as she always did. She would see her green Jeep Wrangler pull in every time and she would be walking up talking about the latest game she saw on TV. But this day, it was not pulling in. She saw Charlie Brown pull up in his 1966 blue Ford Mustang convertible with Linus and Sally riding inside. Lucy had started driving her parents car but Linus refused to ride with her, so he opted to ride with Charlie Brown and Sally so he wouldn't have to deal with Lucy until he was able to get his own car after graduation so he wouldn't have to drive Lucy around.

But after all of the kids got there, Marcie looked everywhere for Tricia. When Charlie Brown and the others walked in she asked, "Have you guys seen Tricia, or heard from her?"

"No we haven't, Marcie," Charlie Brown answered.

"We haven't seen her all weekend," Sally added.

"I tried to call her, but her father said she was working at her new job," said Marcie. "I told him to let her know to call me. But I haven't received a call from her. And it's usually hard to get her off the phone, now you can't get a hold of her!"

"I can attest to that," sighed Charlie Brown. "We'll find out soon enough, I'm sure." And the kids went to their class. It wouldn't be until later that day that the kids would find out that she had indeed quit school. She would work at her job full time and help her father out. But it would come at a price. It ended her friendship with Marcie.

**THE END OF #8**

_**NEXT TIME, #9: THE NEW AND IMPROVED VIOLET**_


End file.
